Tidal Waves
by Megan13
Summary: His proximity has always had way of affecting her; whether it's causing her to have homicidal thoughts or, more recently, giving her butterflies. - L/N at Hogwarts
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Tidal Waves  
**Chapter: **One  
**Characters/Pairings:** Lucius/Narcissa, Juliet  
**Spoilers/Warning:** R  
**Summary:** His proximity has always had way of affecting her; whether it's causing her to have homicidal thoughts or, more recently, giving her butterflies. - L/N at Hogwarts  
**Disclaimer:** Not authorized, prepared, approved, licensed, or endorsed by J. K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any other individual or entity associated with the Harry Potter books or film. All Harry Potter logos, trademarks, names, characters, and related indicia are the property of Warner Bros., J. K. Rowling, and/or their respective owners. I do not claim any affiliation with those who own Harry Potter and would like to make it clear that no copyright infringement is intended in the publication of this story  
**Author's Note: **Story loosely (_very loosely_) based off of the Shopoholic series.

* * *

"_Shopping is a woman thing. It's a contact sport like football. Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds, the danger of being trampled to death, and the ecstasy of the purchase." - _Erma Bombeck  
----- ----- -----

"Cissy," Juliet sighs as I rip into the package my family's owl has just dropped on my bed. "Please tell me you didn't."

I shrug guiltily and glance down at the receipt in my hand. So what if I spent a whole month's allowance on... Oh fuck. That's a lot more than a month's worth of allowance.

"Er," I mumble, biting my bottom lip.

"Do you not remember the last howler?" Juliet asks, here eyebrows quirked. "I nearly went deaf from all the shrieking."

"But it was on sale," I defend and hold up my new Galinda bikini. The clasp in the front clicks as I grin innocently, but Juliet just shakes her head. I persist. "It was a steal."

"It's September Cissy," Juliet cries and throws her hands in the air.

"I like to think ahead," I insist. And I do. I'm like one of those American boys – I'm always prepared. Ok, so I'm sometimes prepared. Well, maybe not sometimes. Usually not at all if I want to be honest with myself. Which I don't.

Juliet sighs again, but I can tell she's cracking when she reaches out to touch the delicate fabric. "Can you even wear it into water?"

I frown. Hm. I hadn't really thought of that when I'd ordered it from Galinda's two days ago. But it was silk and it was gorgeous and, honestly, that's all that really matters. Right?

"It _is_ pretty though," Juliet murmurs absently.

"I know, right?" I say brightly. "And look at the sequence. It was sewn by hand."

"No magic?" Juliet asks, impressed. "I thought Galinda always used magic."

"Not on her special pieces." I raise an eyebrow at my best friend. See, Juliet and I go way back. All the way to the tender age of five when we began our first semester of finishing school. The two of us had quickly bonded over our love for all things pink, including our bubble-gum colored jumpers and magenta hair barrettes. And then we'd spotted Violet Parkinson in all her purple glory and ridiculed her like only snotty little children could. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Juliet suddenly grinned. "Hey! When your mother kills you, can I have this?"

Or maybe not _that_ beautiful of a friendship.

"No," I say, glaring at her. "No you may not."

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

Although I've never really performed very well in most classes, I've landed myself in potions with the seventh years. Apparently I have something of a gift when it comes to mixing and measuring. Oh, and I have a great eye for color. This is extremely helpful when trying to produce a strengthening potion the color of a lemon when it's only one stir different than a deadly poison the same shade as a sunflower.

At the moment, I'm shaking my head from side to side while trying to decide whether I should tell Frank Longbottom that his lacewings are spoiled and will undoubtedly explode the second they hit his cauldron or sit back and watch the fireworks. To be honest, I like fireworks. They're bright and shiny and loud. Like me.

"What are you laughing at Black?" Longbottom demands rudely.

"You," I say simply and blink.

Longbottom rolls his eyes and drops the lacewings into his potion, which promptly explodes in his face. He looks up at me with wide eyes and a charred face.

"See?" I grin cheesily. "You're hil-ar-i-ous."

While Longbottom is led off to the infirmary, I turn back to my own potion. It is, to my delight, the perfect shade of mulberry.

"You knew his potion was going to explode."

I jump as the words are spoken so close to my neck that I can feel his breath. I whirl around and glare at the culprit. "What do you want?"

Lucius Malfoy is, to be perfectly frank, the biggest asshole in the history of all mankind. I've felt this way since we were small and he put a frog down the front of my dress at his mother's garden party. Because of the spectacle I made of myself I wasn't allowed at a formal, or even an informal, function until I was eleven. I have always and will always blame that shit for missing out on Galinda's first fashion show when I was ten.

"You're a potions expert, yes?"

I narrow my eyebrows in response. That bastard knows I'm the resident potions expert.

"I need your help."

"You need my help?" I ask skeptically.

"Yes," he says with a wave of his hand. "I'm in need of a tutor."

"A tutor?" I scoff. "The great Lucius Malfoy is 'in need' of a tutor?"

"Yes." He cocks his head and flashes his patented Malfoy I-Want-You-To-Think-You-Have-A-Choice-But-You-Really-Don't smirk. "I'll compensate you for your time, of course."

I stare at him for a long, calculated moment before nodding my agreement. "Fine."

"Excellent," Lucius says, flashing an extremely rare and genuine smile. "Thursday evening?"

"Can't," I tell him. "I've got a date."

"With who?" Lucius asks and mentally slaps himself. I can tell because I, myself, do it on a frequent basis.

"What do you care Malfoy?" I ask, clearly amused by his slip. I wiggle my eyebrows. "Jealous?"

He snorts. "Doubtful."

"Whatever," I call over my shoulder and head towards the door.

I'm halfway there when Slughorn calls to me, "Black, where on earth are you going? We've still got forty minutes of class left."

Damn. He ruined my dramatic exit.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

While I'm a whiz at potions, divination is not my strong suit. I look at tea leaves and I see tea leaves. I look at the stars and I see stars. I look at a crystal ball and see a crystal ball… End of story. Juliet, on the other hand, is a completely different story.

"Ooh," she says as she peers into my empty cup. "Looks like you're in for a life-altering change."

I pull my cheek from my desk and grimace.

"You've drooled again, honey," Juliet tells me absently and then points at something in the cup. "See? It's a tidal wave. Are your emotions getting the best of you?"

I frown. What the hell is she talking about?

"Are you paying the least bit of attention?"

"No," I murmur as I wipe at my sticky cheek. I look at the tea leaves she's pointing to. "I'm not dying this time, am I?"

Juliet scowls.

"I'm tutoring Malfoy in potions," I say, trying to change the subject.

My diversionary tactic works like a charm. Juliet's eyes go wide and she begins gagging dramatically.

"I know," I agree, throwing my arms into the air.

"Are you mad?" Juliet yelps. "Malfoy is the world's biggest asshole."

See? I told you.

"He's paying me," I tell Juliet.

"Oh." She blinks. "Well then alright. Hey, he could be your emotional upheaval."

My what? "My what!?"

Juliet rolls her eyes. "Look at the bloody leaves Cissy."

"I see leaves," I tell her bluntly.

"It's a wave," she insists and rolls her arm in a wave-like motion. "And that signifies an emotional change."

"It's a clump," I say. "It signifies your inability to strain tea."

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

"He's staring at you," Juliet whispers as the two of us gracefully sit down for lunch. She jerks her head in the direction of the Eight Circle of Hell (or, in Cissy and Let lingo, Malfoy and his close circle of friends) and rolls her eyes.

"Which one?" I ask as I try to inconspicuously look past her.

"Malfoy," she tells me and grabs the butter from some second year who stupidly wandered too far from his side of the table. He squeaks at the look on her face and scurries back to his friends. "He's been staring since we walked in."

"Maybe he's staring at you," I say.

She shakes her head and grimaces. "Ew."

I frown and lean forward to grab a roll from the platter across from me. As I do, I tilt my head in Malfoy's direction and let my eyes drift upwards. When our eyes lock it feels like I've just been zapped by a stinging jinx.

**Please Review**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Tidal Waves  
**Chapter: **Two  
**Characters/Pairings:** Lucius/Narcissa, Juliet  
**Spoilers/Warning:** R  
**Summary:** His proximity has always had way of affecting her; whether it's causing her to have homicidal thoughts or, more recently, giving her butterflies. - L/N at Hogwarts  
**Disclaimer:** Not authorized, prepared, approved, licensed, or endorsed by J. K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any other individual or entity associated with the Harry Potter books or film. All Harry Potter logos, trademarks, names, characters, and related indicia are the property of Warner Bros., J. K. Rowling, and/or their respective owners. I do not claim any affiliation with those who own Harry Potter and would like to make it clear that no copyright infringement is intended in the publication of this story  
**Author's Note:** This took forever. Sorry about that. But hey, there's much more Lucius in this chapter so maybe that will make up for my horrible updating practices? Maybe??

* * *

"Wow," Evan whistles as I waltz down the staircase and into the common room Thursday night. He grins and steps forward to take my arm in his. "You're absolutely gorgeous."

"Thank you." I smile up at him and bat my eyelashes flirtatiously. I love compliments and I knew without a doubt my slinky emerald green dress would illicit many of them throughout the evening.

"I thought we could walk to the edge of the grounds and apparate to The Glass Slipper in London," Evan says and I'm impressed. Boys usually save The Glass Slipper for the third date because they think it will seal the deal. Little do they know I only give it up after the fourth date (but don't worry, only that bastard Ravenclaw and the cocky Gryffindor ever actually got that far).

"That sounds wonderful," I say with a giggle just as we pass Malfoy and his cronies. I notice the way his gaze slides up my legs, over my torso, and settles on my eyes. I smirk as he raises his eyebrows and dips his head signaling his approval. I glow with pleasure.

Wait a minute… Did I just say I'm glowing with pleasure because of Malfoy? Ew.

"You do know how to apparate?"

I frown. Of course I know how to apparate. Maybe not legally, but that's not the point.

The point _is_, is that Evan continually asks condescending questions and acts as though I'm unable to think for myself throughout the whole date. I know I may not be the brightest _lumos_ in the dark, but I'm sure as hell not daft.

By the end of the night I'm spent. All I want to do is curl up in my bed and cuddle with my cat GiGi. Evan, on the other hand, has other plans. Yes, he paid for an expensive dinner but that doesn't mean he has the right to feel me up when we kiss goodnight. So I stomp on his foot and feign horror when my heel does some serious damage.

When Evan limps off I sigh in relief. That is, until I hear that all too familiar chuckle coming from the leather chair in front of the fire place. I breathe heavily out of my nose and turn to find Malfoy smirking at me.

"Bravo, Black." He claps softly as I sneer at him.

"He tried to feel me up," I say bluntly and turn to go up to bed.

"Well then he deserves to have all of his toes broken," Malfoy says. "I take it the date didn't go well?"

I sigh and turn back to him. "What gave it away?"

Malfoy continues to smirk as he pushes out of the chair. I take an involuntary step backwards as he waltzes right into my very personal bubble. He leans over me until our noses nearly touch and whispers, "Maybe you should stop wasting your time with incompetents like Rosier."

"Oh?" I raise an eyebrow. "And how should I waste it? With egotistical jerks like you?"

Malfoy lets out a low, sarcastic chuckle. "Precisely."

"What are you playing at Malfoy?" I ask softly.

"Nothing," he breathes and inches so close I can feel the warmth of his body. My eyes flutter shut as his lips ghost over mine and nearly lean into the 'kiss' when he pulls back suddenly.

The hell?

"Well, goodnight Narcissa," he says brightly, like we hadn't just been about to kiss. I stand still, completely dumbstruck as he steps around me and begins up the steps to his dormitory. Once he's almost to the top he calls out, "Narcissa?"

I whirl around.

"Don't forget about our session tomorrow evening."

I have to resist the urge to punch him in the throat.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

The next afternoon Juliet and I have decided it's in our best interest to skip Charms and head to Wizarding London for a little shopping excursion. If I'm going to have to spend my evening with that total bastard Malfoy, then I might as well spend it looking my best. Besides, I haven't bought anything since my Galinda bikini and I'm beginning to think those little hand tremors I've been experiencing lately may be due to withdrawal; not a caffeine overdose like I'd previously believed.

"Ooh." Juliet's eyes are wide as I step out of the dressing room. She claps her hands together and nods enthusiastically. "Love the color."

I have to agree. I do look gorgeous in Robin's Egg Blue. And Cornflower Blue. And Sky Blue. Hell, I look gorgeous in _any_ blue.

"Is it too tight?" I ask, admiring myself in the mirror.

"Shuh," Juliet scoffs. "The tighter the better. Ooh, that would look so cute with your suede mini-skirt. No, wait…"

"Cream," we say in unison.

We nod solemnly and I ask the girl helping us (i.e. our personal slave for the next hour or so) for the same sweater in cream. The girl obediently runs back to the racks as I critique the purple dress Juliet is admiring in the large mirror.

"So," Juliet says, "how was your date with Evan last night?"

"Horrid," I grumble at her reflection. "He's the most condescending person I've ever met."

She frowns. "I'm sorry Cissy."

I shrug. "It's just another one to cross off The List."

The List is literally a list of all the boys in sixth year and above currently attending Hogwarts. So far we're about half-way through the sixth years (Juliet wiped out all the Hufflepuffs herself and is doing a quick job of the Gryffindors) and not one of them has been worth more than a second date.

"Who's your next target?" Juliet asks and winks at her own reflection.

"Alistair Nott," I say resolutely. "Or maybe Andre Zabini. Or possibly Darius Vaisey."

Juliet frowns. "But those are all Malfoy's friends."

"Your point?"

"You hate Malfoy."

"Which is why he's not even on The List." He's not. I swear.

Juliet shoots me an odd look and then shrugs and turns back to the mirror. "What about the yellow dress?"

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

"Alright Malfoy," I say as I enter the potions laboratory. I slam my books down and perch myself on the edge of Slughorn's desk. "What is it that you need to work on?"

Malfoy raises his eyebrows and smirks. "Absolutely nothing."

I'm confused. "Then why did you ask me to tutor you?"

"I said I'm in need of a tutor." He chuckles and it makes my teeth clench involuntarily. "That doesn't mean _I_ am the one in need of tutoring."

And as if on cue Greg Goyle and Billy Crabbe enter the lab. My jaw drops. It's not that Greg and Billy are all that bad. In fact, they're probably some of the nicest blokes included in The Eight Circle of Hell. I've even had a few pleasant conversations with Greg that didn't involve food or Quidditch or even beating someone up. The problem is that both of them are notoriously ill-adept at potions. I'm talking downright horrible. Last year Billy somehow managed to melt the entire potions lab. If it hadn't been for some quick wandwork, the whole dungeon would have been completely destroyed.

"'Ello Cissy," Greg says pleasantly as he takes a seat at his usual table. "You're evening going well?"

I blink.

"That's good," he says and turns to grunt at Billy.

I take a deep breath, count to ten, and stomp over to Malfoy. "This wasn't what I signed up for," I hiss.

Malfoy shrugs.

Now, I'm not really one for violence (unless you count that sample sale at Bloomingdale's last year when I punched a Muggle in the face over that pair of Chanel boots) but at this point I'm so fed up with Lucius Malfoy that it takes all my energy to keep myself from jumping over the desk to throttle the bastard.

"Malfoy," I whisper, "this was not the deal. There's no teaching them."

"I have faith in you," he says in that drawling way that I _know_ means the complete opposite.

"I can't do this," I say. "They don't even get the simplest theories behind potion making. They care nothing for precision or for skill. You and I both know they only want flex their muscles. There's no use trying to teach people who don't want to learn. They wouldn't even be in potions if it weren't for Slughorn's pineapple addiction."

"But _you_ care," Malfoy says and raises his eyebrows. "_You_ care about precision and skill and theories. _You_ care about potions."

I shake my head. "What I care about doesn't matter."

"Doesn't it?" And Malfoy smiles. Actually smiles. He doesn't smirk or grimace or sneer. He smiles. And, to be honest, it's a nice smile. "Look Narcissa, without this class these two don't have a chance at graduating. I would tutor them myself but you _care_ about potions. You love it. You're passionate about it. And maybe, that's what they need for it to stick."

Shit.

"Fine," I sigh. "I'll do it. But under one condition."

"Anything."

"You're to be my personal assistant," I say and raise an eyebrow.

He laughs. Actually laughs in a genuinely amused way and nods. "Fine."

Hm, I think. Having Lucius Malfoy as my personal slave- Er, assistant may just make this whole situation worth it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Tidal Waves  
**Chapter:**  
**Characters/Pairings:** Lucius/Narcissa, Juliet  
**Spoilers/Warning:** R  
**Summary:** His proximity has always had way of affecting her; whether it's causing her to have homicidal thoughts or, more recently, giving her butterflies. - L/N at Hogwarts  
**Disclaimer:** Not authorized, prepared, approved, licensed, or endorsed by J. K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any other individual or entity associated with the Harry Potter books or film. All Harry Potter logos, trademarks, names, characters, and related indicia are the property of Warner Bros., J. K. Rowling, and/or their respective owners. I do not claim any affiliation with those who own Harry Potter and would like to make it clear that no copyright infringement is intended in the publication of this story.

* * *

I practically float through the next month. Life as I know it has suddenly taken a turn for the better. I had very nearly sworn off men altogether after my disastrous date with Evan, but when Edmund Harper had shyly and quietly asked me to lunch that following Saturday I couldn't help but say yes.

Edmund isn't like the boys I usually date. Most of the time I stick to the flashy guys who throw their money around in an attempt to wow me with their never-ending cash flow. Unfortunately for them, I also have a never-ending cash flow (or I did until last week when my father got the bill for my third Aurora skirt in just as many days (luckily for me, most of my favorite designers have offered me an open tab policy which he's yet to discover)). Edmund is quite the opposite. He's very sweet and has managed to fly under my radar even though he's the captain of our dueling club and has an incredibly sexy shag cut. But he's quiet and I tend not to notice _anything_ unless it's vibrant like Versaci or sleek like Prada.

But Edmund isn't the only change I've experienced over the past month. Three nights a week I head to the potions lab for my tutoring sessions with Greg and Billy. I've found these sessions to be quite enjoyable and I'm actually very surprised at how far the two of them have come. Greg can now create potions at a fifth year level and Billy hasn't nearly destroyed the dungeons in at least three weeks.

The most surprising thing of all, however, is my relationship with Lucius. I know, I know. I said I'd hate the bastard for all eternity, but he's actually quite agreeable when he isn't surrounded by the rest of his lackeys. His smile is contagious and the way the corners of his eyes crinkle when he's concentrating is adorable. I've even started to look forward to spending time with him.

Of course, Juliet thinks I've been possessed.

"But he's Malfoy," Juliet says and scrunches her nose with disgust. She shakes her head as if to shake his image from her thoughts. "He's the bane of our existence."

"He's really not so bad," I tell her.

"Oh?" Juliet raises her eyebrows as she peers over the rack of dress robes. "What about The Kissing Incident?"

"He was just trying to rile me up," I say and shrug. It's really not all that big of a deal. So what if I can still remember the smell of his cologne or the heat from his body. Nope. Not a big deal.

"Which is a bastard thing to do." Juliet throws her arms in the air.

"We're just friends." I pull a pair of silver dress robes off the rack and hold them up to my chest. I look up at Juliet and raise my eyebrows.

"No."

I sigh and place the robes back on the rack. "Lucius is actually kind of sweet when he's not surrounded by all of his friends."

"Egh." Juliet grimaced. "The words 'Malfoy' and 'sweet' should never be used in the same sentence. And when did you start calling him Lucius?"

"It's his name," I say defensively and frown. "I don't get why it's such a big deal."

"It's a big deal because you spend more time with him than with Edmund and me put together," Juliet says angrily. "I'm beginning to think you have feelings for him."

Me? Feelings? For Luci- Er, Malfoy? Really, I've never heard anything so stupid in my life. I tell Juliet so. "I've never heard anything so stupid in my life."

"Oh really?" Juliet asks, her hands on her waist. "You were humming your Date Song last night before you went to tutoring."

"I was not!" Was I?

"Yes you were," Juliet says. "And all you talk about is how good Malfoy is at potions. _You're_ good at potions Cissy. Who cares what Malfoy is good at."

"Look, Lucius and I are friends," I tell her. "End of story. If you've got a problem with it, then too bad."

"Fine," Juliet snaps. "But when he hurts you, don't come crawling to me."

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

Later that night I'm still angry about my argument with Juliet. She actually had the nerve to turn on her heel and leave me at the shop all by my lonesome. In eleven years of friendship Juliet and I had not once argued to the point of abandonment. There was that time we got into a screaming match at Hermes is Paris, but the saleslady was finally able to talk us down. Oh, and the Pump Incident of '73. And we nearly came to blows over a gorgeous Fendi bag that weekend in Milan. But still; neither of us had ever been angry enough to leave the other cold, lonely, and without a wingman.

It was all that damn Malfoy's fault. It's _always_ his fault.

"Open to page seventy-two," I growl as I stalk into the lab. I slam my books on Slughorn's desk and allow a small smile as the books snap loudly against the table. I turn around to find Greg and Billy staring at me with concern. Malfoy, on the other hand, crosses his ankles on top of the table he's sitting at and leans back. He looks like the cat who'd just eaten the canary.

"Jeeze Black," he says with wide, mocking eyes. "Did you and your little boyfriend have an argument?"

"No," I tell him, my eyebrows narrowing. Why does he always feel the need to bring up Edmund? "My _best friend_ and I got into an argument because of you."

Malfoy's whole aura slowly wilts and I feel a smidgen better. "Me?"

I glare at him for a moment and then shake my head. What am I thinking? It's not Lucius' fault that Juliet and I have argued. She's un-rationally jealous of the time we've been spending together even though it's all for the greater good. Without our combined forces, the entire potions lab would have been blown to smithereens during last week's exam.

"It's nothing," I sigh. "Let's just get to work."

"It's not nothing," Lucius says. I'm touched at his concern. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," I say, smiling hesitantly. "She's just angry at the amount of time we've been spending together."

"I see." He rounds the table and hops up next to where I'd perched myself on Slughorn's desk. "You know, if I had it my way we'd be spending a lot more time together than we already do."

"I love Juliet," I say and lean into his shoulder, "and I really care for Edmund." Lucius stiffens beside me. "But we're friends and that really means a lot to me." I chuckle. "Never thought I'd say that."

"Me neither," Lucius murmurs. He sighs and places his hand over my own. "Why don't you go make up with Juliet? Hm?"

"Oh, but-"

"I've got these two."

Lucius nudges my arm until I reluctantly gather my books and start towards the Slytherin Common Room. I stop at the lab's door, my hand hovering over the doorknob, and then turn around. With a grateful smile I tell him, "You know, you're a really great friend."

I'm only a little surprised that it's true.

He nods and echoes, "A great friend. Yeah."

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

But I didn't make up with Juliet because she never came back to our room that night.

I never thought it was possible for Juliet to stay angry at me for more than twenty-four hours. We're of the 'sleep on it and everything will look rosier in the morning' school of thought. We have our spats (often) but, like an old married couple, we're always back to giggling and gossiping by lunch time.

This is why I'm staring at her sullenly at dinner the evening after our fight while she laughs the night away with Anita Greengrass. I really don't have a problem with Anita (even if she is a best friend stealing bitch) but the way she keeps sneaking glances at me with that look of superiority makes me want to jump across the table and slam her face into her own mashed potatoes.

Wow. This violent streak is not becoming (even if it would be funny as all hell).

I'm still imagining the way Anita's face would look covered in potatoes, a dreamy look on my face, when Edmund sits down beside me. It takes him a few tries, but he's finally able to snap me out of my highly amusing daydream.

"Sorry," I mutter, turning to him.

He smiles that megawatt smile of his and I nearly turn to goo. "What's the matter babe?"

"Nothing," I say and lean into him. I take a deep breath and grin at the smell of his cologne. It's intoxicating and makes me want to throw my leg over his lap and snog him until the sun comes up. Hmm, come to think of it, I'm pretty sure it's the same cologne Lucius wears.

"She'll get over it," Edmund says, gesturing at Juliet over the top of my head. "You want to 'study' with me in my room tonight?"

His air quotes are adorable.

"Sure," I say automatically and then mentally slap myself. "Wait, I can't. We have a potions exam tomorrow and I've set up a last minute cram session with Greg and Billy. I'm sorry."

"No problem," Edmund says with forced cheer. His jaw has set. "Will Malfoy be there?"

"I'm not really sure," I tell him honestly. I ran it by Lucius earlier in the week and he'd agreed, but with the Gryffindor/Slytherin Quidditch match quickly approaching he's been running our team ragged on the practice field and tonight is prime practice time. "He may have-"

Speaking of the devil…

I stop right in the middle of my sentence as Lucius pushes Ewan Hamilton, my fellow sixth year, to the side and takes the seat across from me for himself. This action is extremely out of the norm (his sitting with sixth years, not his pushing someone out of his way) and draws the attention of half the table.

"Cissy," Lucius says and swats at Ewan when he attempts to grab the plate Lucius has forced him to abandon. "Are we still on for tonight?"

"I thought you would have practice," I say, and with good reason. Lucius has his broom (the latest model) in his hand and is dressed in his scrumptious practice uniform. Just looking at him makes my mouth water. I'm a total sucker for a man in uniform and that, paired with the predatory look he's throwing at me, makes me want to gobble him up.

Whoa.

I shake my head and look down at the table to get _that_ picture out of my head. Because, though it's as entertaining as my potato mashing fantasy from earlier, it's just plain wrong. Lucius is my friend and I make it a practice to never picture my friends naked.

"I do," he says. He glances at Edmund, challengingly. "But you're more important. I've moved it up so I can still study with you tonight. I'll meet you in the Common Room at nine and we'll head to the lab together."

I'm about to nod when Edmund's arm snakes around my shoulders and pulls me close to him. It's a possessive move, one that Edmund has never used before. I look up at him and am completely surprised by what I see. Edmund's eyebrows are narrowed, his eyes are blazing, and his jaw is clenched so tightly it looks painful.

"Actually," I say slowly, turning my attention back to Lucius. "I think I'll have Edmund walk me to the lab. He's got an exam in ancient runes tomorrow and could study for that while we work on potions."

Lucius looks disappointed for a millisecond before a smirk replaces it. "I'm sure we can find a corner for him somewhere in the lab. As long as he doesn't interrupt us while we work."

I nod.

"Until then," Lucius says and swings his legs over the bench in one fluid motion. He nods at Edmund, winks at me, and sets off leaving me to look from his retreating backside (and oh, what a backside) to Edmund's angry face and back again.

Okay, what the hell just happened?


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** Tidal Waves  
**Chapter: **Four  
**Characters/Pairings:** Lucius/Narcissa, Juliet  
**Spoilers/Warning:** R  
**Summary:** His proximity has always had way of affecting her; whether it's causing her to have homicidal thoughts or, more recently, giving her butterflies. - L/N at Hogwarts  
**Disclaimer:** Not authorized, prepared, approved, licensed, or endorsed by J. K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any other individual or entity associated with the Harry Potter books or film. All Harry Potter logos, trademarks, names, characters, and related indicia are the property of Warner Bros., J. K. Rowling, and/or their respective owners. I do not claim any affiliation with those who own Harry Potter and would like to make it clear that no copyright infringement is intended in the publication of this story

* * *

I'm happy to report that both Greg and Billy passed their potions exam with flying colors. Now I've never been the maternal type, but when those two excitedly ran into the Common Room with their graded exams clutched in their pudgy hands I got that same feeling new mothers must have when their babies take their first steps. I have never ever been so proud in my life. In fact, I was so proud I went out and bought myself a brand new pair of Chanel boots.

And they look absolutely fabulous with the suede skirt I'm currently sporting.

"Did I mention you're mouth-watering in those boots," Edmund whispers huskily into my ear.

Mouth-watering works too.

"Thanks." I grin. I lean back against his broad chest and he wraps his arms around my shoulders to keep the chilly wind at bay. We're currently smooshed together in the Slytherin section at the Quidditch pitch watching as Slytherin rips Gryffindor apart once again.

As it stands, Slytherin has scored ninety points (Lucius has scored seventy all by himself) to Gryffindor's ten. Oh wait, make that one-hundred to ten. The only way Gryffindor even has a chance is if that pip-squeak Potter is able to snatch the Snitch before Belby and since Belby has already been drafted as the Seeker for Puddlemore next year, the probability of that happening is slightly negative of zero.

"Are you still coming to my duel tonight?" Edmund asks.

"Oh." I frown as Lucius whizzes past me with the Quaffle tucked protectively under his arm. "I'm sorry Edmund. I completely forgot about your duel."

His arms loosen around me just a fraction.

"It's just," I bite my bottom lip, "I've promised Lucius I would meet him at the victory party tonight."

"Malfoy," Edmund chuckles mirthlessly as his hands drop to his sides. I nervously turn around to face him. "I should have guessed."

"Look, I'll just skip the party," I suggest even though just thinking about missing out on spending time with Lucius makes my stomach ache.

"No." Edmund shakes his head and throws his hands in the air. He somehow manages to take a step backwards into the crowd. "I don't even want you there now."

"Edmund," I cry, not exactly sure what's going on.

But he ignores me with a shake of his head and begins pushing his way through the crowd. I'm hot on his heels and once we break through the crush of students I grab his hand. He twirls around and the look of devastation in his eyes nearly knocks me off my feet.

"Look, I really like you. Really, really like you," he says and sighs. "You're sweet and smart and no one makes me laugh like you do."

I smile encouragingly and take a step closer to him. "So what's the problem?"

"I'm not the only one that feels that way about you," Edmund says sadly. He reaches out his hand as if he's going to caress my cheek and then lets it drop without making any contact. "And I can't keep coming in second with you."

"Are you…" I feel like I've been socked in the stomach. "Are you breaking up with me?"

He bites his bottom lip and, after a moment's hesitation, nods.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

Four hours later the Slytherin victory party is in full swing as I step into the Common Room. I take one look at my house-mates and can't tell if my nausea is due to the five shots of tequila I just had with my cousin and his annoying little friends or the way everyone is smiling when all I want to do is curl up and die.

I hate people.

I'm just about to the steps leading up to my dormitory when I hear my name. I close my eyes wearily and turn to find Lucius grinning down at me from his position on his teammate's shoulders. He takes one look at me and gestures for his friends to let him down.

"What's wrong?" He asks, concern evident on his handsome features.

I take a deep breath and open my mouth to tell him that I'm fine and that nothing is wrong. Instead, I burst into big, fat crocodile tears.

Lucius, to his credit, doesn't look nearly as horrified as I thought he would when faced with a hysterical woman. In fact, he steps forward and envelopes me in his arms instead of running away in the opposite direction. "Hey," he whispers softly into my ear. "It's okay Cissy."

"I'm sorry," I cry and pull my face away from his chest. I cringe when I notice the wet spot on his white T-shirt. "I'm ruining your hard earned victory party."

"It wasn't all that hard earned," Lucius says uncertainly. "We basically tore them apart."

"Oh," I squeak through my tears. "That's nice."

Lucius smiles a tiny smile and before I know it he's led me up the staircase and into my dormitory. The second my wonderful, comfortable bed comes into view I fall onto it and crawl under the covers. I scoot to the left and pat the spot next to me.

"You want to tell me what happened?" Lucius asks as he eases himself under the covers beside me. He settles onto his side, propped up on one elbow and looks at me expectantly. "Do I need to hex someone for you?"

I shake my head. "Edmund broke up with me."

"Oh?" Even with all the practice, he can't hide the faint smile on his face. "What happened?"

"He said he's tired of coming in second." I scrunch my nose and sigh.

And now Lucius looks really interested. "Coming in second? To what?"

"You," I mutter reluctantly, my eyes glued to my canopy. "I told him we're just friends but he's got this crazy notion in his head that you've got feelings for me. And that's utterly ridiculous."

"Is it?" Lucius asks, surprising me.

"Well of course it is," I scoff.

"What if…" Lucius says slowly. "What if he's right?"

"Oh right. You like me." I'm laughing as I turn to him, but suddenly the smile slides off my face. He's nervous, I can tell, and looks as if he's about to be sick. Um, what's going on here? "Er. Do you like me?"

He opens his mouth to say something and then shuts it again. Lucius Malfoy is actually speechless. If the situation weren't so serious I would be dancing around the room with excitement over my ability achieve the impossible.

"Luci-"

But I'm cut off when he suddenly surges forward. Once the initial shock of feeling his lips against my own wears off, my eyes drift closed and I return the kiss enthusiastically. Oh _damn_, I think as his palm gently comes to rest against my cheek.

To be honest, I've never really thought about what it would be like to kiss Lucius. What with hating him most of my life and then trying not to think of him in any way even remotely sexual (_trying_ being the operative word here) I didn't spend much time fantasizing about what it would be like to really kiss him. Besides, even if I had, it would be nothing compared to what kissing him actually feels like.

This kiss deepens and before I know it he's somehow maneuvered himself on top of me. He pulls away, breathing raggedly, and pushes the hair off of my forehead with his fingers. For a few moments he stares at me with such intensity I feel something inside my chest spark and then his teeth suddenly find the sensitive spot on my neck. I arch into him and moan as his lips recapture my own.

He murmurs into my mouth, "I've wanted you for so long."

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

I'm smiling when I awake the following morning. Last night was… Well, it started out quite horrible actually. Being dumped is never fun and when Edmund called things off yesterday I felt like I'd been run over by a Giant. I was shocked and confused and terribly upset which is the only reason, and I do mean _only_ reason , why I shared a bottle of tequila with Sirius and his annoying little friends.

Speaking of tequila – maybe that's why, though I am still blissfully happy, there's a soft throbbing at the base of my skull and my whole body feels achy.

I sigh happily and roll over to cuddle closer to Lucius. Last night may have started out atrociously but it definitely ended with a pleasurable bang (or two) and I'll bet he's willing and ready for round three. Or, I think as my hand roams over satin sheets and not the deliciously sculpted chest of Lucius Malfoy, maybe not.

My eyes flutter open and I stare in confusion at the empty bed. Okay, I'm pretty sure I didn't drink too much but seeing as I'm the only gorgeous blonde in my bed right now there is a slight possibility I downed enough tequila to warrant hallucinating everything that happened last night. So, being the competent investigator that I am, I peak under my covers and, yep, I'm naked. Last night was most definitely _not_ a hallucination… And now I'm grinning again.

"I just... I can't believe he did that to me."

Wait a minute. What is _she_ doing in here?

"Oh Anita." That's Juliet. "He apologized, didn't he?"

"Well yes." Anita sighs. "But still-"

"So your boyfriend had too much to drink," Juliet is saying as I peak at the two of them through my curtains. They sit down on her bed and Juliet pats Anita's back somewhat awkwardly. "I know that he missed your date but it was his victory party. He's allowed to indulge sometimes."

Ooh, so there's trouble in paradise for the best fried stealer and her loser of a boyfriend. I frown. Who the hell _is_ her boyfriend? Hmm, let's think this through. Juliet said it was his victory party so it must be someone on the Quidditch team. Belby, maybe?

"I guess." Anita giggles. "I just wish he would have indulged with _me_ last night."

Juliet makes a face and that means there's something wrong with this guy and since she gets along smashingly with Belby that means he's off the list. It could be Flint or Nott. Even I grimace at the thought of them.

"I just love running my fingers through that gorgeous blonde hair of his– "

I mean, Flint has the worst acne imaginable and Nott _still_ hasn't grown into that nose of his even at the age of seventeen – Whoa, did Anita just say something about blonde hair?

"- and even you can't deny Chasers have the best bodies- "

I slump down on my bed, frowning. There's only one blonde Chaser on the Slytherin Quidditch team and obviously he couldn't 'indulge' his _girlfriend_ last night... Because he was too busy with me.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** Tidal Waves  
**Chapter: **Five  
**Characters/Pairings:** Lucius/Narcissa, Juliet  
**Spoilers/Warning:** R  
**Summary:** His proximity has always had way of affecting her; whether it's causing her to have homicidal thoughts or, more recently, giving her butterflies. - L/N at Hogwarts  
**Disclaimer:** Not authorized, prepared, approved, licensed, or endorsed by J. K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any other individual or entity associated with the Harry Potter books or film. All Harry Potter logos, trademarks, names, characters, and related indicia are the property of Warner Bros., J. K. Rowling, and/or their respective owners. I do not claim any affiliation with those who own Harry Potter and would like to make it clear that no copyright infringement is intended in the publication of this story  
**Author's Note: **This is more of a 1/2 chapter than anything else... Sorry 'bout that.

* * *

"Narcissa!"

Oh bloody fucking hell. Why is it that whenever you're trying to avoid someone like the plague they always seem to pop up at the most inopportune time? Take now for instance. I've just spent the past sixteen hours lying in my bed alternating between cursing Luciu- _Malfoy's_ very existence and sobbing hysterically over what a horrible turn my life has suddenly taken. Even catalogue shopping did nothing for my foul mood.

"Wait up Narcissa!"

Like hell I will.

"Please," he calls. "Cissy wait!"

Oh that's it.

"Don't call me that!" I spin on my heel to yell at him and whoa, maybe I shouldn't have turned so quickly. I squint to see him through the stars in my vision and shout, "You have no right to call me that!"

"Narcissa," he says slowly, confusedly. "I don't understand. What-"

"I'm not an idiot you know," I hiss. "I mean, did you really think I wouldn't find out?"

"I don't-"

"Anita," I growl at him and his eyes widen. "When were you planning to tell me you're dating that cow?"

"Listen Cissy," he takes a step forward, "it's not what you think. Just give me a chance to explain."

"I thought you were my friend." Okay, this emotional roller coaster needs to stop. I can feel all my anger seep out of me and in its wake I'm left with nothing bur absolute devastation. I _really_ _had_ thought we were friends and the loss of our friendship is killing me. "I thought you cared about me."

"I do," Lucius says and steps up to me. With a sigh, he cocks his head in that utterly adorable way of his and reaches out to caress my cheek with his fingertips. "I do care about you."

"No," I shake my head and force myself to take a step back from him. His close proximity always has a way of affecting me (whether it's causing me to think homicidal thoughts or, more recently, giving me butterflies) and right now my head is swimming. "You took advantage of me last night. Juliet said…" Why is everything suddenly going fuzzy around the edges? "She said you would hurt me and…"

"Narcissa?"

"And I should have…."

The last thing I hear before I black out is the sound of Lucius' frantic calls for help.


	6. Chapter 6

**Title:** Tidal Waves  
**Chapter:** Six  
**Characters/Pairings:** Lucius/Narcissa, Juliet  
**Spoilers/Warning:** R  
**Summary:** His proximity has always had way of affecting her; whether it's causing her to have homicidal thoughts or, more recently, giving her butterflies. - L/N at Hogwarts  
**Disclaimer:** Not authorized, prepared, approved, licensed, or endorsed by J. K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any other individual or entity associated with the Harry Potter books or film. All Harry Potter logos, trademarks, names, characters, and related indicia are the property of Warner Bros., J. K. Rowling, and/or their respective owners. I do not claim any affiliation with those who own Harry Potter and would like to make it clear that no copyright infringement is intended in the publication of this story  
**Author's Note:** Finally! The end! But don't worry kids... A sequal is in the works. That's right, I'm doing a sequal!

* * *

It's bright.

I groan and pull the scratchy sheets over my face in attempt to block out the sun. _Wait one Prada loving minute_, I think as the cotton brushes roughly against my cheeks. I open one of my eyes and frown. These are definitely not my thousand thread-count Egyptian cotton bed sheets that I'm currently snuggling up with.

With a screech, I throw the sheets off of me and sit straight up in bed.

"Cissy!"

"Oh Merlin," I breathe as Juliet sits down on a chair beside my bed. "Why am I in the infirmary?"

Juliet grabs my hand to keep me from panicking and asks calmly, "Cissy, what do you remember?"

"I was…" I frown. Hm. What do I remember? Oh Merlin! "Do I have-"

"No, you don't have amnesia," my psychic best friend interjects before I can even try to have a meltdown. "Do you remember feinting?"

"I remember," I say slowly, "yelling. And then everything went sorta fuzzy." I wrinkle my nose at the disgusting sheets they've wrapped me in. "And then scratchy. How did I get here?"

Juliet frowns. "So you sort of remember what happened?"

"Yes." I glower at her. "What day is it? And don't you dare answer my question with another question."

"It's Wednesday," Juliet says and laughs as my jaw drops. "Madame Pomfrey has had you on sleeping draughts for the past two days. And she pumped you so full of strengthening potions I'm surprised you haven't sprouted a-"

"Let!"

"You had pneumonia," Juliet tells me with a smirk. "Apparently cashmere sweaters and leather boots aren't proper weather repellent. That, combined with low blood sugar, caused you to feint."

Makes sense.

"Cissy," Juliet says softly. She's chewing her bottom lip nervously. "I need to apologize to you."

"For what?" I ask, frowning.

"I've been a horrible best friend." Juliet's gaze hits the floor. "I said the worst things to you."

"So you lectured me, gave me the cold shoulder, and cheated on me with that bitch Greengrass." I smile sadly. "You were right though. About Malfoy. You were right."

"No," Juliet shakes her head, "I was completely wrong."

Er, what?

"You asked how you got to the infirmary," Juliet clarifies. "Lucius brought you. He carried you the whole way and the only reason he isn't here now is because Madame Pomfrey slipped him a sleeping potion when he wasn't looking. I'm actually extremely impressed. I've been trying to slip him potions for years and she got it on the first try."

Er, what?

"Anyway," Juliet scrambles. "Cissy, he was _really_ worried."

"But…" I'm so confused I think my head is going to explode. "But he's got a girlfriend."

"Not anymore," Juliet tells me. "And they had only been dating for a week anyway. He's been after you for a lot longer than that."

I'm not sure whether to laugh or to cry. I manage an unsure "oh" instead.

----- ----- -----

Juliet literally has to restrain me from jumping out of bed when Pomfrey gives me the all clear a few hours later. I may have been in a pseudo coma for the past few days but there's nothing I want more than to curl up in my nice, comfy bed and sleep away the next forty-eight hours.

"Do you have them all?" I call to Juliet from behind a curtain as I pull the sweater she brought for me over my head. I've given Juliet the task of collecting all of the Get Well cards I seem to have acquired during my stay in the hospital wing. Apparently, if the messages scribbled on the inside of the incredible quantity of cards I've gotten is any indication, I'm the freaking queen of Hogwarts. Of course, most of the cards were from boys aged thirteen and below, but still… I'm rather proud.

"Juliet? I asked if you've got all the cards?" I call again when my first request is met with silence.

"All but one."

The voice that calls back makes me freeze. I'm sick and sleepy and haven't showered in days and the absolute last thing I want to do right now is have another confrontation with Lucius Malfoy. I mean, I knew I'd have to do it at some point but I was hoping I wouldn't have three days worth of sweat clinging to my skin.

When I've finally recovered my senses I call back, "Go away."

"Cissy, please," Lucius says with a sigh.

"Just…" I shut my eyes tightly. "Just please go away. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"I'd really rather-"

"Lucius." My voice is strained now and my head is starting to pound again. _Just please leave_, is all I can think. _Please._

"The potions lab?" Lucius asks. And then, with a little more certainty, he adds, "At seven."

He sighs again and, after a slight hesitation, turns and leaves the room. I wait until his footsteps have stopped echoing off the stone floor to peak my head around the curtain to see if the coast is clear.

"He's gone," Juliet says as she walks over to me and hands me a folded piece of parchment. "He told me to give this to you."

I step out from behind the curtain and take the parchment from her. I flip it open curiously and I can't help smiling at the short message:

_**Cissy-**_

_**I've never groveled before so I'll need a little help. Maybe a tutoring session or two will suffice?**_

_**- Lucius**_

----- ----- -----

"Groveling 101?" I ask as Lucius pushes through the door to the potions lab at precisely seven the following evening. I, myself, have been in the lab for the past fifteen minutes rehearsing every gesture, stance, and position in an attempt to gain the upper hand. However, as soon as I lay eyes on that pretty little blonde head of his, all my preparation has suddenly flown out the window.

Lucius grins as he crosses the room. He hops up next to me on Slughorn's desk and asks, "How are you feeling?"

Horrible. "Better."

He nods slowly and we lapse into an uncomfortable silence. Just when I think this whole thing has gone to shit and he's not going to continue he whispers, "I think I love you."

I look up at him abruptly.

"When you told me you thought I'd taken advantage of you the other night…" He trails off, shaking his head. "I wasn't planning for things to happen the way they did Narcissa."

"Then how were they supposed to happen?" I ask quietly, my heart pounding so hard I'm surprised Lucius can't hear it.

"I've," he sighs and closes his eyes, embarrassed, "_admired_ you for a while now. I mean, who wouldn't? You're gorgeous." He flashes me a tiny, quick smile. "And you accessorize like no one else."

Shameless flatterer.

"Anyway." Lucius drops his gaze back to the floor. "I may have had… ulterior motives when I enlisted your help with Crabbe and Goyle. They needed help in potions, obviously, but I really just wanted an excuse to see you outside of class without looking like a total prat."

"You _are_ a prat," I point out. "Remember that night I went out with Evan? You were trying to get under my skin and you almost kissed me. Why?"

"You look good in green," he says softly.

Green? Baby, I look good in _every_ color.

"And when we started spending more and more time together my attraction to you…" Lucius hesitates, trying to find the right words. "My attraction to you changed. I realized you were more than just a pretty face with a talent for potions. You're a pretty face with a talent at potions who makes me laugh and think and wonder. I came to realize how amazing you truly are. And when you started dating that moron Harper it took every ounce of self control I had not to punch his smug little face in."

"He obviously noticed," I murmur.

"Yes, well." I'm not sure how someone is able to look both sheepish and smug at the same time, but Lucius has somehow pulled it off. "That night that we… I wanted that to happen, but not like that."

I raise an eyebrow.

"Not that it wasn't great," Lucius backpedals hastily and grins at me goofily. "It was fantastic. Really fantastic. I just would have preferred to be dating you first."

"You want to date me?" I ask, grinning.

Lucius nods. "Well yeah."

----- ----- -----

"Cissy! Are you even listening to me?"

"Er." I frown. What the hell did she just say?

It's been a week since Lucius and I resolved our problems. At the time, we agreed to transition slowly into a romantic relationship so as not to ruin our friendship. All was going rather well until a few days ago when he waltzed into the common room after Quidditch practice looking all rough and tumbly. I _wanted_ to take things slowly, but really, I have absolutely no self control. At all.

"You're not paying attention," Juliet asks, glaring at me over the crystal ball on our small table, "are you?"

I roll my eyes. Do I ever pay attention in divination?

"Fine," Juliet snaps. "Let me interpret your dream then since you obviously have no intention to interpret mine."

"I was on a beach," I say with a sigh. "Lucius was with me and we were just watching the water."

"The waves?" Juliet asks, eyebrows perking up. She seems suddenly interested for reasons completely foreign to me.

"Mmhm," I murmur as my attention begins wandering to where the professor is claiming Helen Fitch is going to die a horrible, gruesome death. Hmm. I think Helen is starting to cry. "They were little ones. Gentle. Continuous."

Yep, Helen's definitely crying now.

"Gentle waves represent consistency and reliability," I vaguely hear Juliet say. "It could mean your relationship with Lucius is healthy and stable."

I giggle as Helen runs out of the room sobbing.

"On the other hand," Juliet looks at me pointedly, "they could just be a bunch of tiny tidal waves."


End file.
